CENTRAL  CIRCULATION  AND  BOOKSTACKS 

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University  of  Illinois  Library  ot  Urbana-Champoign 


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LIBR^wy 
Of  ihe 

UNIVEKiJiI  r uf  ILLINOIS. 


Minnesota  State  Library  Commission. 

Publication  No.  2. 

JUNE,  1904.  < 


PUBLIC  DOCUMENTS 


IN  THE 


SMALL  PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


1904 


MINNESOTA  STATE  LIBRARY  COMMISSION. 


Office:  515  Masonic  Temple,  Minneapolis. 


Members  Ex-officio: — 

Cyrus  Northrop, 

President  of  the  University  of  Minnesota,  Minneapolis,  Minn 
John  W.  Olsen, 

State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
Warren  Upham, 

Secretary  State  Historical  Society,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 


Members  Appointed  by  the  Governor: — 

Miss  Gratia  A.  Countryman, 

Minneapolis,  Minn.  (Term  Expires  1904.) 

Miss  Margaret  J.  Evans, 

Northfield,  Minn.  (Term  Expires  1902.) 

Officers : — 

Miss  Margaret  J.  Evans,  Chairman, 
Northfield,  Minn. 

Miss  Gratia  A.  Countryman,  Secretary, 
Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Miss  Clara  F.  Baldwin,  Librarian, 

Miss  Emily  H.  Corson,  Assistant  Librarian. 


INTRODUCTION. 


015,712. 

K <2  ’p 


Some  of  the  publications  of  the  U.  S.  government  are  to 
be  found  in  every  public  library  and  there  is  no  class  of  books 
which  is  more  puzzling  to  the  average  librarian.  While  many 
of  these  publications  contain  much  valuable  matter,  the  mis- 
cellaneous collection  which  is  found  in  most  libraries  is  of 
little  use.  The  purpose  of  this  circular  is  to  give  practical 
suggestions  with  regard  to  the  treatment  of  public  documents 
in  the  small  libraries.  How  to  weed  out  and  dispose  of  those 
which  are  of  little  or  no  value  to  the  small  library ; how  to 
obtain  those  which  will  be  of  real  value  and  how  to  arrange 
and  catalog  them  so  that  their  contents  will  be  made  easily 
available. 

The  reference  us^of  public  documents  through  the  various 
official  catalogs  and  indexes  will  not  be  discussed  here.  The 
article  by  Mr.  Lane,  noted  in  the  reference  list  at  the  close  of 
this  article  will  be  found  helpful  in  this  connection.  The 
utmost  familiarity  with  these  aids  is  necessary  to  make  the  > 
most  of  your  documents  and  if  such  sets  as  are  named  in  the 
following  lists  do  not  prove  useful  to  any  library  the  fault  will 
be  more  that  of  the  librarian  than  of  the  documents. 

The  list  of  seventeen  recommended  sets  compiled  by  J.  I. 
Wyer,  Jr.,  was  originally  prepared  for  the  Buying  lists  of  recent 
books  issued  by  the  Wisconsin  free  library  commission,  and 
acknowledgment  is  hereby  made  to  the  Wisconsin  commis- 
sion for  permission  to  reprint  the  material  in  this  form.  The 
Minnesota  commission  is  also  indebted  to  Mr.  Wyer  for  the 
preparation  of  the  following  material. 

Note. — In  capitalization  the  rule  of  the  Library  of  Congress  has 
been  followed,  using  capitals  only  for  the  first  word  in  names  of  bodies 
or  government  departments. 


141.55 


4 


UNITED  STATES  PUBLIC  DOCUMENTS. 

BY  J.  I.  WYER,  0 

Librarian,  University  of  Nebraska. 


WHAT  NOT  TO  GET. 

A small  library  does  not  want  all  the  documents  it  can  get. 
It  is  not  its  province  to  collect  books  indiscriminately  or  to 
keep  all  it  can  get.  Remember  that  every  book  added  to  your 
library  costs  so  much  good  money  (usually  more  than  you 
think)  to  prepare  for  the  shelves,  to  catalog  and  even  to  keep 
standing  on  the  shelves  unused  and  uncalled  for.  A book 
rarely  or  never  used  has  small  place  in  a small  library  even 
if  it  be  a government  document  and  free  as  air. 

Give  your  congressmen  and  senators  to  understand  that 
you  wish  to  be  consulted  before  they  send  your  library  un- 
solicited offerings.  Examine  carefully  everything  which 
comes  to  the  library,  and  deal  promptly  with  undesirable 
gifts.  Sort  out  the  volumes  you  want,  acknowledge  them 
courteously,  but  resack  those  you  do  not  want  and  ask  your 
congressman  or  the  Superintendent  of  documents  for  return 
franks. 


WHAT  TO  GET. 

The  U.  S.  government  issues  each  year  more  than  a thou- 
sand separate  books  and  pamphlets.  Only  the  very  largest 
library  needs  all  of  them,  but  even  the  smallest  library  ought 
to  get  and  use  some  of  them.  Naturally  the  difficulty  is  to 
know  which  ones  to  get.  It  is  the  purpose  of  this  list  to  call 
the  attention  of  libraries  of  less  than  20,000  volumes  to  a few 
of  the  regularly  issued  government  serials  which  seem  to 
promise  most  usefulness  to  them. 

Suppose  such  a library  decides  to  get  and  maintain  ten, 
twelve  or  all^  of  these  sets  as  indicated  below ; steps  should 


5 


be  taken  to  have  its  name  placed  on  the  regular  mailing  lists 
of  the  government  offices  which  issue  all  of  these  serials,  so 
that  future  volumes  or  numbers  may  come  regularly  without 
the  annual  renewal  of  requests. 

Send  a careful,  explicit  list  of  just  what  serials  you  want 
to  your  local  congressman  and  ask  him  to  see  that  this  is  done. 

Then  try  to  get,  either  from  him,  from  the  Superintendent 
of  documents,  or  from  the  issuing  offices  in  Washington,  the 
volumes  needed  to  complete  your  sets.  Many  of  them  can  be 
had  without  cost ; some  of  them  your  library  will  have  to  buy. 

Besides  these  seventeen  suggested  serial  publications  there 
will  be  issued  from  time  to  time  a few  other  documents  of 
special  local  interest  or  on  a subject  of  particular  timeliness 
or  popular  interest,  and  every  wide-awake  library  will  want 
to  know  about  them. 

The  natural  way  to  learn  of  such  documents  is  to  examine 
the  Monthly  catalog  of  U.  S.  public  documents  issued  each  month 
from  the  office  of  the  Superintendent  of  documents,  but  un- 
fortunately the  edition  is  limited  by  law,  and  this  chief  source 
of  information  as  to  just  what  is  being  printed  at  Washington 
is  not  available  for  many  libraries  that  would  be  glad  to  get 
it  regularly. 

To  make  some  such  information  accessible  to  libraries  that 
cannot  get  the  Monthly  catalog  the  Wisconsin  free  library 
commission  has  printed  in  its  Buying  lists  Nos.  7,  8 and  10,  lists 
of  recent  government  docufnents  which  seem  likely  to  be  of 
interest  to  small  libraries.  These  lists  will  probably  be  con- 
tinued from  time  to  time. 


6 


Selected  government  serials  recommended 
for  small  libraries. 

U.  S. — Agriculture,  Dep’t  of. 

Farmers’  bulletins 630 

The  numbers  in  this  series  treat  in  a practical,  simple  and 
untechnical  way  of  subjects  of  particular  interest  to  farm- 
ers and  gardeners.  Upon  application  to  the  department, 
the  name  of  your  library  will  be  placed  on  the  mailing  list 
or  the  bulletins  may  be  got  through  your  congressman. 

These  bulletins  are  not  bound  by  the  department,  so  each 
library  will  do  well  to  bind  them  in  volumes  of  convenient 
size. 

Yearbook  of  the  Department  of  agriculture 630 

An  encyclopedia  of  practical,  popular  articles  on  specific  top- 
ics and  a description  of  the  organization  and  work  of  the 
department.  A larger  edition  is  printed  than  of  any  other 
public  document,  and  as  most  of  them  are  distributed  by 
congressmen,  it  will  be  easiest  to  get  in  that  way. 

Catalog  cards  for  each  article  in  the  Yearbook  and  for  each 
Farmers’  bulletin  may  be  had  from  the  Librarian  of  the 
Department  of  agriculture  at  Washington. 

The  Yearbooks  1894-igoo  are  also  indexed  in  Bulletin  7 
Division  of  publications.  Department  of  agriculture. 

The  Department  of  agriculture  is  the  largest  publisher  of 
documents  interesting  and  valuable  to  small  libraries.  It 
is  anxious  to  get  its  publications  into  the  hands  of  the  peo- 
ple and  active  in  advertising  them.  Its  Monthly  list  of  pub- 
lications will  be  sent  free  to  any  applicant.  A List  of^  bul- 
letins, circulars,  etc.,  available  for  free  dilstribution  is  printed 
at  intervals  and  includes  the  publications  which  are  of  most 
general  interest.  Each  bureau  and  division  issues  now  and 
then  for  free  distributic-n  a list  of  its  own  publications,  for 
example.  List  of  publications  of  the  Botanical  division,  12 
pages,  December,  1902;  List  of  publications  of  the  Soils 
bureau,  14  pages,  January,  1903;  List  of  publications  of  the 
Oihce  of  experiment  stations  on  irrigation,  8 pages,  October, 

1902.  These  lists  are  all  well  worth  getting,  the  latter  serv- 
ing as  a useful  bibliography.  Look  them  over  and  see  if 
there  is  any  item  which  you  are 'very  sure  will  be  useful 
to  you  in  your  library,  but  do  not  let  them  tempt  you  to 
aimless  acquisition  or  to  starting  ill-considered  “sets,”  just 
because  they  may  be  had  for  the  asking.  | 

The  Forestry  bureau  has  recentl)’-  issued,  as  bulletin  36,  the 
Woodman's  hand  book,  part  i,  by  H.  S.  Graves.  This  use- 
ful little  volume  contains  rules  for  finding  the  contents  of 
logs  and  standing  timber;  methods  of  estimating  timber; 
a brief  outline  of  forest  working  plans  and  a description 
of  instruments  useful  in  the  woods.  It  should  prove  of 
special  service  in  Minnesota,  Wisconsin  and  Michigan. 

The  free  distribution  of  this  book  will  be  limited  to  your 
congressman  and  the  Department  of  agriculture.  There 
are  no  copies  for  sale  or  distribution  by  Superintendent  of 
documents. 


Circular  24,  from  the  office  of  road  inquiry  on  highway  main- 
tenance and  repairs,  is  a compilation  of  testimonials  and 
arguments  favoring  good  roads,  chiefly  from  Wisconsin 
men  and  papers. 

The  Statistics  division  issues  monthly  the  Crop  reporter, 
which  can  be  had  through  the  office  of  the  department, 
or  through  your  congressman.  It  will  be  found  of  general 
interest  among  current  periodicals  in  the  reading  room, 
especially  during  the  crop  season. 

U.  S. — Census  office. 

All  publications 317-3 

The  report  in  10  volumes  of  the  12th  census  for  1900  has  now 
appeared  and  may  be  had  by  applying  to  the  Director  of 
the  census  or  to  your  congressman.  The  Statistical  atlas, 
a supplementary  volume,  will  be  found  as  useful  as  any 
of  the  other  volumes. 

The  abstract  of  the  12th  census,  1900,  is  a comprehensive 
manual  of  important  statistics  collected  by  the  last  census. 

It  will  be  found  an  exceedingly  useful  reference  manual 
supplementing  the  annual  Statistical  abstract, 

U.  S. — Civil  service  commission. 

Annual  report 35i-6 

Keeps  one  informed  as  to  the  vicissitudes  of  civil  service 
and  the  organization  and  administration  of  the  U.  S.  classi- 
fied service.  Candidates  for  government  positions  under 
the  civil  service  are  found  in  every  state,  and  the  latest 
edition  of  the  manual  of  examinations  should  be  available 
in  all  libraries.  The  commission  distributes  all  publica- 
tions on  application  without  cost. 

U.  S. — Commerce  and  labor,  Dep’t  of. 

Monthly  summary  of  commerce  and  finance 380 

Within  two  years  this  publication  has  added  to  its  statistical 
information  a number  of  extremely  well  done  and  valuable 
articles  on  commercial  and  financial  tables.  Recent  num- 
bers contain,  for  example,  monographs  on  “Great  canals 
of  the  world,”  “Movement  of  prices,  1840-1901.” 

Many  of  these  articles  are  reprinted  separately. 

If  you  are  unable  to  get  this  journal  directly  from  the  pub- 
lication bureau,  your  congressman  can. 

U.  S. — Congress. 


Congressional  directory 328 

Three  or  four  editions,  embodying  changes  and  corrections, 
are  issued  during  each  session  of  congress.  One  edition 
per  session  is  enough  for  the  average  public  library. 

Congressional  record 328 


This  is  the  daily  record  of  the  debates  and  proceedings  in 
both  houses  of  congress.  It  should  be  secured  and  placed 
on  file  in  the  reading  room  with  other  daily  papers  and  it 


8 


will  be  as  much  sought  after  and  as  much  read  as  any  of  ‘ 
them.  It  is  necessary  to  apply  to  your  congressman  at  the 
beginning  of  each  session,  as  one  session's  mailing  list 
does  not  hold  over.  ' 

U.  S. — Education,  Bureau  of. 

Annual  report  of  the  commissioner 370 

A great  store-house  of  contemporary  educational  history, 
statistics,  laws  and  information.  The  most  important  edu- 
cational publication  in  the  country.  Indexed  to  1898  in  the 
second  edition  of  the  A.  L.  A.  index. 

The  edition  of  the  cloth  bound  set,  in  which  it  first  appears, 
is  limited,  and  the  surest  way  to  get  a copy  is  to  address 
your  congressman. 

Circulars  of  information 370.9 

If  possible,  try  to  get  }-our  library  placed  on  the  mailing 
list  for  this  series  of  contributions  to  the  history  of  edu- 
cation in  the  different  states.  The  four  numbers  issued 
' in  1902  are  histories  of  education  in  Pennsylvania,  West 

' Virginia,  Minnesota  and  Nebraska,  and  in  1903,  for  Maine, 

Texas  and  Colorado.  Indexed  to  1899  in  the  second  edi- 
tion of  the  A.  L.  A.  index. 


U.  S. — Interstate  commerce  commission. 

Annual  report 385 

A formal  detailed  report  of  the  activities  of  the  commission 
is  followed  by  a syllabus  of  all  decisions  made. 

Statistics  of  railways  in  the  U.  S 385 


An  invaluable  compendium  of  statistical  information.  Will 
answer  in  most  libraries  instead  of  Poor’s  manual. 

■ All  publications  of  this,  commission  are  distributed  without 
cost  upon  application  to  the  department. 

U.  S. — Labor,  Bureau  of. 

Annual  report  of  the  commissioner 331 


Special  reports  .^. 331 

Are  of  utmost  usefulness  to  the  librarian  who  will  take 
pains  to  find  out  what  is  in  them.  These  publications  are 
distributed  without  cost  upon  application  to  the  depart- 
ment. The  first  set  is  indexed  to  1899  in  the  second  edi- 
tion of  the  A.  L.  A.  index  and  the  Bureau  of  labor  issued 
in  1902  its  own  excellent  index  to  both  sets  as  well  as  to 
the  sets  of  labor  reports  from  the  different  states. 


XJ.  S. — Mint,  Bureau  of  the. 

Report  of  the  director  of  the  mint . 332 

The  information  on  coins,  coinage  and  money  which  this 
report  contains  is  frequently  in  request. 


9 


U.  S. — National  museum. 

Annual  report 507 

The  chief  reason  for  including  this  title  is  because  the  vol- 
umes to  and  including  1898  are  indexed  in  the  A.  L.  A 
index.  The  articles  are  usually  on  American  archaeology, 
well  illustrated  but  not  exactly  of  a popular  sort. 

U.  S. — State,  Dep’t  of. 

Consular  reports 382 

Contains  short  reports  from  U.  S.  consuls  all  over  the  world 
on  trade  conditions,  probable  markets,  suggestions  for 
stimulating  commerce,  items  from  experience  or  practice 
of  other  nations,  etc. 

Will  not  be  of  very  great  use  in  the  smaller  libraries  and  the 
title  is  included  here  mainly  because  the  set  is  indexed  to 
vol.  60  in  the  second  edition  of  the  A.  L.  A.  index.  Index 
numbers  to  the  Consular  reports  (not  in  the  regular  num- 
bered series)  have  been  issued  by  the  Department  of  state 
as  follows: 

Nos.  1-59.  Vols.  1-17. 

Nos.  60-111.  Vols.  18-31. 

Nos.  112-151.  Vols.  32-41. 

Nos.  152-203.  Vols.  42-54. 

Nos.  204-239.  Vols.  55-63. 

Some  of  these  are  out  of  print  but  every  library  maintaining 
this  set  should  get  them  all  if  possible,  bind  and  shelve 
them  at  the  beginning  of  the  set. 

The  Consular  reports  appear  monthly  in  pamphlet  form,  but 
if  it  is  found  that  they  are  in  demand  they  can  be  had  later 
bound  in  cloth  from  the  Dep’t  of  commerce  and  labor, 
which  now  issues  them, 

U.  S. — Statistics,  Bureau  of. 

Statistical  abstract  of  the  U.  S 3i7*3 

Appears  annually  and  is  the  most  useful  summary  of  statis- 
tics relating  to  our  country  that  is  printed.  May  be  had 
in  advance  edition  bound  in  paper  and  is  available  through 
congressmen. 


List  of  single,  complete  documents  which  should 
prove  useful  in  Minnesota  libraries. 

Clements,  J.  M. 

The  Vermilion  iron-bearing  district  of  Minnesota. 

463  p.  Q.  and  atlas  F.  Wash.  1903.  (U.  S. 

— Geological  survey.  Monograph  45.) 557*7 

Although  prepared  primarily  for  technical  geologists,  many 
others,  especially  in  Minnesota,  will  be  interested  in  the 
maps  and  pictures.  i 


10 


Egleston,  N.  H. 

Arbor  day,  its  history  and  observance.  8o  p. 

il.  O.  Wash.  1896 .T^.  37i‘8g 


Issued  from  the  Department  of  agriculture,  but  not  in  any 
of  its  regular  series. 

Heitman,  F.  B. 

Historical  register  and  dictionary  of  the  United 
States  army,  from  its  organization.  Sept.  29,  1789, 
to  March  2,  1903.  2v.  Q.  Wash.  1903.  355 

This  is  the  unofficial  work  of  a private  compiler,  purchased 
and  published  by  the  government  by  authority  of  an  act 
of  congress  approved  March  3,  1903. 

It  contains  list  of  general  officers  of  the  U.  S.  army  and  of 
U.  S.  volunteers,  1775  to  1903;  complete  chronological 
roster  of  chiefs  of  bureaus,  staff  corps,  field  and  staff  offi- 
cers of  the  line;  officers  who  have  been  thanked  or  re- 
warded by  congress,  and  a number  of  miscellaneous  lists 
of  officers,  battles,  wars,  forts,  cemeteries,  etc.,  covering 
the  entire  period  of  our  national  life. 

The  major  portion  of  the  work  is  taken  up  with  a complete 
alphabetical  list  of  commissioned  officers  of  the  army,  in- 
cluding officers  of  the  volunteer  staff,  giving  their  full 
names,  records  of  service  with  ranks  attained. 

This  valuable  reference  work  does  not  bear  the  imprint  of 
any  department  or  bureau,  so  it  would  seem  that  appli- 
cation to  your  local  congressman  would  be  most  likely  to 
get  it. 

It  is  advertised  in  the  Monthly  catalog  of  U.  S.  public  docu- 
ments as  for  sale  by  the  war  department  for  $2. 

Hermann,  Binger. 

The  Louisiana  purchase  and  our  title  west  of  the 
Rocky  mountains  with  a review  of  annexation  by 


the  United  States.  87  p.  Q.  Wash. 

1900  . d 978 


There  is  an  authorized  reprint  as  House  document  yo8,  56th 
Congress,  ist  session,  of  this  timely  and  valuable  monograph 
originally  published  in  1898  and  no  longer  to  be  had  in  the 
original  form.  It  has  just  been  distributed  to  depository 
libraries  as  serial  number  4002  and  may  be  had  from  con- 
gressman in  pamphlet  form  and  probably  in  somewhat 
limited  numbers. 

Leith,  C.  K. 

The  Mesabi  iron-bearing  district  of  Minnesota. 

3i6p.  il.  O.  Wash.  1903.  (U.  S. — Geological 

survey.  Monograph  43.) 557*7 

Good  pictures  and  maps. 


11 


Moore,  J.  B, 

History  and  digest  of  the  international  arbitrations 


to  which  the  U.  vS.  has  been  a party.  6v.  O. 

Wash.  1898 341.6 

U.  S. — Anirrial  industry,  Bureau  of. 

Special  report  on  diseases  of  cattle  and  on  cattle  feed- 
ing. 496  p.  O.  Wash.  1892 619.2 

Special  report  on  diseases  of  the  horse.  Ed.  2. 

600  p.  O.  Wash.  1903 619.1 

U.  S. — Anthracite  coal  strike  commission. 

Report  to  the  president  on  the  anthracite  coal  strike 
of  May— Oct.  1902.  257  p.  O.  Wash. 

1903  331-89 

There  is  an  earlier  less  desirable  edition  without  the  ap- 


pendices. The  report,  probably,  can  be  got  from  your 
congressman,  and  the  Superintendent  of  documents  offers 
it  for  15  cts. 

U.  S. — Congress. 

Abraham  Lincoln,  James  A.  Garfield,  William  Mc- 
Kinley. 246  p.  Q.  Wash.  1903. 

(57th  congress,  2d  session,  senate  document,  219.)  920 

A collection  and  republication  of  the  memorial  addresses 
delivered  in  congress  on  the  three  martyr  presidents,  by 
J.  G.  Blaine,  Geo.  Bancroft  and  John  Hay  respectively. 

The  separate  address^  on  IMcKinley  is  also  published  as 
House  document  ^55. 

Biographical  congressional  directory,  1774-1903,  Con- 


tinental congress  to  the  57th  congress.  900  p. 

Q.  Wash.  1903 328.73 


Also  includes  biographies  of  the  executive  officers  of  the 
government  1789-1903.  Issued  in  paper  at  90  cents,  cloth, 
$1,  and  will  be  sent  depository  libraries  in  sheep  as  House 
document  458,  57th  congress,  2d  session.  Your  congressman 
should  be  able  to  tell  you  whether  it  is  to  be  had  gratis 
and  how. 


Revised  statutes  of  the  United  States.  Ed.  2. 

Wash.  1878 345-2 


Two  supplements  bring  the  work  almost  down  to  date. 
These  books  are  never  distributed  free,  but  the  three  vol- 
umes may  be  had  from  the  Superintendent  of  documents 
for  $7.75. 


12 


U.  S.  District  of  Columbia,  Committee  on  (Senate). 

The  improvement  of  the  park  system  of,  thy  District 

of  Columbia.  179  p.  O.  Wash.  1902.917.53 

Contains  many  fine  pictures  and  plans  showing  the  pro- 
jected transformation  of  Washington  'city.  Of  especial 
interest  to  those  in  civic  improvement  work, 

U.  S. — Foreign  relations,  Committee  on  (Senate). 

Compilation  of  treaties  in  force  1898.  779  p.  O. 


Wash.  1899.  (Serial  No.  3822) 34i-2 

U.  S. — Industrial  commission. 

Report.  19V.  O.  Wash.  1900-02 :.  331 


This  set  has  been  pronounced  the  most  notable  document 
ever  published  by  our  government.  It  treats  of  capital 
and  labor  and  the  many  social  topics  which  result  from 
their  inter-relations.  It  is  a pity  that  the  edition  was  so 
soon  exhausted.  The  set  is  very  hard  to  get,  the  Sup’t 
of  documents  having  none  for  distribution  and  the  quota 
' with  congressmen  having  been  distributed  long  ago.  The 
volumes  occur  in  the  congressional  set  as  serial  numbers 
3990-92,  4168-69,  4338-49- 

U.  S. — Insular  affairs.  Bureau  of. 

Pronouncing  gazetteer  and  geographical  dictionary  of 
the  Philippine  islands,  with  maps,  charts  and  illus- 


trations. 933  p.  O.  Wash.  1902. 

(Serial  No.  4240) 919*14 


Sold  in  cloth  binding  for  $2.10  by  the  Suph  of  documents. 

U.  S.  Printing,  Joint  committee  on  (Congress). 

Celebration  of  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
establishment  of  the  seat  of  government  in  the 


District  of  Columbia.  343  p.  Q.  Wash. 

1901  917-53 


Seven  thousand  copies  were  printed,  most  of  which  were 
distributed  by  members  of  congress. 


13 


CLASSIFICATION  AND  CATALOGING. 

i 

The  small  library  or  any  iion-depository  library  but  the 
largest,  should  classify  sets  or  single  volumes  of  government 
documents  like  any  other  books  and  place  them  on  the  shelves 
with  any  other  books  on  the  subjects.  Shelve  government 
documents  on  education  with  the  other  books  on  education. 
Shelve  the  reports  of  the  U.  S.  Commissioner  of  labor  with 
the  books  on  labor.  In  short,  for  purposes  of  classification, 
forget  that  they  are  government  documents  and  incorporate 
them  into  the  subject  arrangement  of  the  library,,  exactly  as 
you  would  so  many  ordinary  books.  The  Decimal  Classifica- 
tion numbers  are  given  in  the  preceding  list. 

Many  useful  government  documents  will  come  in  pamphlet 
form.  When  these  form  part  of  a series,  such  as  the  Consular 
reports,  they  should  be  entered  regularly  on  a check  list  like 
any  other  serial.  If  the  library  already  has  bound  volumes  of 
the  set,  put  the  full  call  number  on  every  pamphlet  and  keep 
them  in  pamphlet  boxes  just  after  the  bound  volumes  of  the 
set.  For  some  of  these  continuations,  the  government,  from 
time  to  time,  issues  bound  volumes.  For  example:  The 

Monthly  summary  of  commerce  and  finance  and  the  Considar  re- 
ports, and  in  each  case  the  bound  volumes,  when  they  come, 
will  replace  the  unbound  numbers.  Others,  like  the  Circulars 
of  information  from  the  Bureau  of  education  and  the  Farmers’ 
bidletins  are  never  bound  by  the  government  and  the  library 
must  bind  them,  as  volumes  of  convenient  size  accumulate. 

If  a pamphlet  is  not  a continuation,  treat  it  like  any  other 
pamphlet,  i.  e.,  put  class  number  only,  in  upper  left  hand  cor- 
ner and  place  on  the  shelves  in  the  pamphlet  box,  containing 
all  pamphlets  belonging  to  that  class.  If  it  contains  75  or  100 
pages,  is  complete  in  itself,  and  seems  to  promise  usefulness, 
it  should  be  bound  and  treated  like  any  book. 

Intelligent  cataloging  of  government  documents  requires 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  organization  of  the  national  govern- 
ment, of  the  different  duties  and  functions  of  the  various 
offices  and  a clear  understanding  of  the  relations  between  the 
documents  themselves  and  the  bodies  responsible  for  them. 
A careful  study  of  the  Congressional  directory  will  do  much 


14 


to  supply  this  knowledge.  The  chief  difficulty  will  be  the  form 
of  the  author  heading.  The  inverted  form  of  heading  given  in 
the  foregoing  list  is  recommended  for  several  reasons : 

First — It  is  that  most  generally  adopted  in  all  libraries ; is 
taught  in  nearly  all  the  library  schools  and  is  used  by  the 
office  of  the  Superintendent  of  documents. 

Second — It  brings  entries  of  a like  character  together  in  the 
catalog  under  the  same  significant  word. 

Third — It  does  not  require  minute  technical  knowledge  of 
the  organization  of  government  departments  on  the  part  of  the 
public  to  use  the  card  catalog. 

The  dash  is  used  after  the  name  of  the  country  to  show 
that  what  follows  is  the  name  of  an  official  department  or 
office  of  the  government  and  to  distinguish  such  official  head- 
ings, especially  in  arrangement,  from  unofficial  titles  beginning 
with  the  words  U.  S.,  e.  g.  “U.  S.  Steel  Corporation.” 

The  new  edition  of  the  A.  L.  A.  catalog  will  print  a longer 
list  than  the  foregoing,  of  documents  useful  in  small  libraries, 
which  will  be  useful  in  determining  exact  form  of  heading,  but 
the  most  complete  list  of  current  government  author  head- 
ings is  found  in  the  pamphlet  issued  from  the  office  of  the 
Superintendent  of  documents  entitled  Author  headings  for  U. 
S.  public  documents. 

The  title  should  be  given  in  full,  following  the  title-page, 
and  the  card  should  show  what  volumes  the  library  has  and 
the  years  covered.  The  following  is  the  form  of  card  for  a 
set  cataloged  in  this  way : 


331 

as. 

— Labor,  DepT  of. 

Uni 

Annual  report  of  the  commissioner,  \^ZS—date 

V.  I — 

date  O. 

Wash. 

\m-daie 

n 

(Reduced.) 


15 


Subject  entries  should  follow  the  general  rules  of  tlie 
library,  and  the  amount  of  analysis  possible  will  depend  upon 
the  amount  of  time  and  money  available  for  cataloging  pur- 
poses and  the  special  needs  of  the  library.  As  already  in- 
dicated in  the  list  of  recommended  sets,  some  of  these  are 
analyzed  in  the  A.  L.  A.  Index  to  general  literature,  and  sets 
of  catalog  cards  may  be  obtained  from  the  library  of  the  Dep’t 
of  agriculture  for  all  publications  of  that  department.  The 
A.  L.  A.  publishing  board  also  prints  analyticals  for  sets  like 
the  Smithsonian  institution  collectibns.  National  museum 
proceedings,  and  American  historical  association.  Tht 
Library  of  Congress  is  analyzing  some  sets,  and  the  problem 
of  cataloging  public  documents  will  undoubtedly  be  much 
simplified  by  means  of  printed  cards. 


Reference  list  on  U.  S.  public  documents. 

American  library  association.  Committee  on  public  docu- 
ments. 

Annual  report  (in  Proceedings  of  annual  conferences  of  the 
A.  L.  A.,  1891 — date), 

Hasse,  A.  R. 

The  nation’s  records.  (In  Forum  25  1598.) 

Describes  the  deplorable  failure  of  the  United  States  to  preserve, 
collect  and  arrange  their  official  records. 

U.  S.  government  publications : a hand  book  for  the  cata- 
loger.  4 parts.  1902-03. 

The  two  parts  that  have  appeared  are  of  greatest  value  to  larger 
libraries. 

Lane,  L.  P. 

Aids  in  the  use  of  government  publications.  (In  American 
statistical  association.  Publications.  7:40-57.) 

Especially  useful  because  it  lists  and  describes  the  various  indexes 
to  government  documents. 


16 


U.  S. — Congress. 

Official  congressional  directory.  58th  congress,  2d  session, 
1903-  P-  257-90. 

Or  the  section  “Department  duties”  in  any  recent  edition  of  the 
directory. 

Statutes  at  large,  28:601-24. 

The  text  of  the  present  printing  law  known  as  the  Act  of  Jan.  12, 
1895.  The  sections  of  most  interest  to  libraries  are  printed  in 
Library  journal,  20:  13-20. 

U.  S. — Documents,  Superintendent  of. 

Annual  report  (in  Report  of  the  public  printer,  1895 — date.) 

Also  issued  in  separate  form  and  numbered  i to  9. 

U.  S. — Government  printing  office. 

Report  of  public  printer  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1901. 
359  P-  (57th  congress,  ist  session.  Senate  doc.  19  in 
serial  no.  4220.) 

Wisconsin  free  library  commission. 

Buying  list  of  recent  books,  nos.  7,  8 and  10.  1902-03. 

Each  contains  a list  of  public  documents  for  small  libraries. 


17 


MINNESOTA  STATE  PUBLICATIONS. 


BY  WARREN  UPHAM, 
Secretary,  Minnesota  Historical  Society. 


NOTE. — The  following  paper  (with  slight  changes),  was  a report 
lo  the  Minnesota  Library  Association,  at  its  annual  meeting  held  in 
Minneapolis,  July  12,  1902,  of  its  special  committee  on  state  publications 
available  for  distribution  to  town  and  city  libraries.  A complete  bib- 
liography of  Minnesota  state  publications  has  been  prepared  by  E.  A. 
Nelson,  state  librarian,  for  publication  in  Part  3 of  State  publications, 
a provisional  list  of  the  official  publications  of  the  several  states  of  the 
U.  S.,  edited  by  R.  R.  Bowker,  and  published  by  the  Publisher's  weekly. 
This  bibliography  will  also  be  incorporated  in  the  next  report  of  the 
state  librarian  and  a copy  will  be  available  for  every  public  library  in 
Minnesota. 

The  state  publications  are  very  useful  and  important  for 
every  public  library  in  our  state,  as  they  give  information  on 
all  subjects  relating  to  the  history,  development,  and  resources 
of  Minnesota,  its  public  institutions,  government,  commerce, 
manufactures,  and  agricultural  and  mining  products.  These 
publications  should  be  carefully  collected  and  preserved,  in 
full  series  for  each  year  or  biennial  term,  by  every  city  and 
town  library,  and  by  the  libraries  of  universities,  colleges, 
seminaries,  and  high  schools. 

The  following  list  includes  the  most  valuable  state  publi- 
cations which  are  available  for  all  public  libraries,  with  sources 
from  which  they  may  be  obtained.  The  Dewey  Classification 
numbers  have  been  added  to  the  list  and  the  form  of  entry 
is  that  recommendecl  for  use  in  cataloging. 

Minnesota. 

Executive  documents 353 

This  publication,  issued  each  two  years  is  usually  bound  in 
four  or  five  volumes,  which  contain  reports  of  state  officers 
and  institutions,  as  follows; 


Secretary  of  state, 
Auditor  of  state. 
Attorney  general. 
Adjutant  general. 
Public  examiner. 


State  treasurer. 


State  agricultural  society. 
Bureau  of  labor  statistics. 


Railroad  and  warehouse  commission. 


Hospitals  for  the  insane. 


State  board  of  corrections  and  char- 


ities. 


Sup’t  of  public  instruction. 


The  executive  documents  are  distributed  under  direction  of 
the  Secretary  of  state,  to  whom  application  should  be  ad- 


18 


dressed.  Each  report  in  the  executive  documents  may 
also  be  obtained  separate!}^  by  addressing  the  officer  or 
department  so  reporting,  at  St.  Paul. 

Minnesota. — Agricultural  experiment  station. 


Annual  reports 630 

Bulletins  630 


Pamphlets  on  topics  of  farming  and  stock-raising,  embody- 
ing the  results  of  experiments  and  researches  at  the  several 
experimental  farms.  These  reports  comprise  many  papers 
of  great  importance  to  botanists  and  entomologists,  as 
well  as  those  of  direct  interest  and  value  to  the  practical 
farmer;  Address  the  College  of  Agriculture,  University  of 
Minnesota,  St.  Anthony  Park. 

Minnesota. — Dairy  and  food  commissioner. 

Biennial  reports 637 

Includes  statistics  of  Minnesota  creameries,  butter  and 
cheese  making,  a large  and  rapidly  growing  industry.  Ad- 
dress the  commissioner,  St.  Paul. 

Minnesota. — Fire  warden. 

Annual  reports 634 

For  these  reports  concerning  the  forestry  of  Minnesota,  ad- 
dress Gen.  C.  C.  Andrews,  Chief  fire  warden,  St.  Paul. 


Minnesota. — Geological  and  natural  history  survey. 

Annual  reports,  1872-1900 557-7 

24  reports  published  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  N.  H.  Win- 
chell,  state  geologist,  mostly  now  out  of  print. 

Geology  of  Minnesota: — Final  reports.  6 v.  in  7 557-7 


The  final  reports  of  this  survey  are  still  available  for  every 
public  library,  comprising  seven  quarto  volumes  (vol.  3 
is  in  two  parts)  with  many  maps  and  other  illustrations. 

They  fully  describe  the  resources  of  the  state  in  mining 
and  quarrying,  agriculture,  forestry,  etc.  Address  Prof. 

W.  W.  Folwell,  librarian.  State . University,  Minneapolis. 

Botanical  series 580 

No.  3 of  this  series,  Minnesota  plant  life,  by  Conway  Mac- 
millan, is  of  especial  value,  and  should  be  in  every  library. 

For  this  series,  address  Prof.  Conway  Macmillan,  state 
botanist.  State  University,  Minneapolis. 

Zoological  series 590 

For  the  reports  and  publicatioiis  in  this  series,  address  Prof. 

Henry  F.  Nachtrieb,  State  University,  Minneapolis. 


19 


Minnesota. — Health  and  vital  statistics,  Board  of. 

4 

Biennial  reports 614 

Address  the  secretary,  Dr.  H.  M.  Bracken,  St.  Paul. 

Minnesota  historical  society. 

Collections  977-6 

These  form  a series  of  nine  volumes  published  from  1850  to 
1901,  treating  in  very  full  details  of  the  history  of  Minne- 
sota and  adjoining  parts  of  the  Northwest,  with  many 
biographies  and  portraits  of  the  pioneers,  founders  and 
chief  leaders  of  Minnesota  as  a territory  and  state.  These 
historical  collections  are  issued  in  limited  editions,  and  are 
for  sale  by  the  society,  mostly  at  $2.50  per  volume.  The 
loth  volume  of  the  series  is  in  press  and  three  further 
volumes  are  in  preparation.  Address  the  secretary  of  the 
society,  St.  Paul. 

Minnesota  horticultural  society. 

Annual  reports 634 

These  reports,  each  about  500  pages,  indexed,  contain  many 
papers  of  use  to  all  intei;ested  in  fruit-raising,  gardening 
and  farming.  Address  A.  W.  Latham,  secretary  of  the 


society,  207  Kasota  Block,  Minneapolis. 

Minnesota. — Insurance  commissioner. 

Annual  reports 368 

Address  State  Insurance  Commissioner,  St.  Paul. 

Minnesota. — Secretary  of  state. 

Legislative  manual  353 


One  of  the  most  useful  publications  of  the  state,  issued  bien- 
nially, and  con-taining  in  a single  compendious  and  well- 
indexed  volume,  a vast  amount  of  information  about  the 
government,  state  institutions,  and  history  of  Minnesota. 
According  to  law,  every  public  library  is  entitled  to  two 
copies,  which  may  be  obtained  from  the  Secretary  of  state. 

Minnesota. — State  librarian. 

Biennial  reports  of  the  state  library  . . 027 

The  state  law  library  in  the  capitol  contains  the  published 
laws  and  reports  of  law  cases  for  all  the  states.  Address 
State  librarian,  St.  Paul. 

Minnesota  state  normal  schools 370 

The  state  normal  schools  in  Winona,  Mankato,  St.  Cloud, 
Moorhead  and  Duluth  each  publish  annual  catalogs,  with 
statements  of  courses  of  study,  etc.  Address  the  princi- 
pals of  these  schools. 


20 


Minnesota  state  public  library  commission. 


Biennial  reports 027 

Handbook  of  library  organization 020 


The  commission  issues  other  publications  and  circulars  from 
time  to  time,  which  are  sent  to  every  public  library  in  the 
state. 

Minnesota  state  university. 

Catalogs,  bulletins  of  courses  of  studies,  and  reports 

of  various  colleges  and  departments . 378 

Address  President  Cyrus  Northrop,  State  University,  Min- 
neapolis. 

Three  other  series  of  state  publications  should  be 
noted,  but  they  will  be  needed  only  by  the  larger 
city  libraries. 


Minnesota. — Legislature. 

Journals  of  the  House  and  Senate,  1849-1879  (an- 
nually), 1879-1903  (biennially) 345 

Laws  of  Minnesota  (enacted  by  the  successive  Legis- 
latures)   345 


These  series  are  not  available  for  general  distribution,  but 
may  probably  be  secured  for  the  libraries  of  large  towns 
and  cities. 

Minnesota.— Supreme  court. 

Reports  of  cases  argued  and  determined  in  the  su- 
preme court  of  Minnesota,  1849-1903.  87  v 345 

Not  for  public  distribution.  Correspondence  about  these 
series  should  be  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  state,  St. 

Paul. 

Besides  these  state  publications,  our  town  and  city  libraries 
will  also  find  it  very  useful  to  secure  the  catalogs  of  other 
special  schools,  academies,  colleges,  and  universities  in  this 
state,  and  the  reports  of  its  large  cities,  as  Minneapolis,  St. 
Paul,  Duluth,  Winona,  etc.,  including  the  reports  of  the  Board 
of  trade  or  Chamber  of  commerce,  the  City  comptroller.  Park 
boards.  City  corrections  and  charities.  Health  departments. 
Water  boards,  City  engineers.  School  superintendents.  Public 
libraries,  etc. 

Another  class  of  publications,  quite  useful  for  reference 
in  any  town  library,  consists  of  the  annual  reports,  for  the 


21 


state,  of  its  chief  religious  denominations,  which  may  usually 
be  secured  if  the  librarian  will  take  a little  care  to  learn  where 
inquiries  for  them  should  be  addressed. 

The  public  libraries  of  our  state,  by  the  request  of  their 
librarians,  will  usually  be  placed  on  the  mailing  lists  of  these 
various  state  and  city  departments,  and  other  organizations, 
so  that  these  reports  in  ensuing  years  will  be  forwarded  as 
soon  as  published. 

For  past  years  the  series  can  rarely  be  supplied.  If  some 
of  them  seem,  for  special  reasons,  to  be  greatly  needed,  an  ex- 
planation of  these  conditions  in  making  application  to  the 
head  of  the  department  or  commission  will  receive  due  con- 
sideration, sometimes  securing  the  series  as  desired ; but  in 
many  or  most  instances  the  supply  of  former  years  has  been 
exhausted.  For  the  present  and  future,  each  of  our  public 
libraries  may  obtain,  by  asking,  nearly  all  of  the  reports  here 
noted. 

A commendable  pride  in  our  North  Star  State,  and  desire 
for  its  advancement  in  every  worthy  direction,  cannot  fail  to 
be  kindled  in  the  minds  of  all,  young  and  old,  who  acquaint 
themselves,  through  these  publications,  with  what  our  people 
have  already  achieved,  with  the  grand  capabilities  of  our 
agriculture,  forests,  and  mines,  and  with  our  educational,  reli- 
gious, and  governmental  institutions. 


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